In recent years, security cameras have been developed that are connectable to networks, have high resolutions, and can improve efficiency by performing image recognition processing. Such a security camera is capable of capturing images of unprecedentedly and incomparably high resolutions, and allows for the construction of a security system that covers a wide range of areas. In addition, it is possible to extract suspicious persons by means of a security camera performing image recognition. If a specific person, such as a child, who particularly needs to be watched over is registered, it is also possible to provide a security service on the way to and from school. However, when capturing images of public places, houses, and the like, it is required to capture the images with attention to the privacy of others.
There are conventional security camera systems and monitoring systems that do not distribute unprocessed images captured by security cameras, but perform masking processing on the images and distribute the resultant images to users in order to protect privacy or personal information (see Patent Literature 1, for example). According to the conventional technique described in Patent Literature 1, masking processing is performed on a captured image in such a manner as to change areas to be masked depending on users, instead of simply maintaining a single masked area, whereby privacy is appropriately protected. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses that when a user monitors a parking lot, the privacy of others is taken care of by performing masking processing for other spaces than the user's contracted space and thus allowing the user to monitor only the contracted space. Also, there is an example in which the range of image allowed to be seen can be changed depending on the types of users, such as general users, security guards, and police officers. For example, police officers who have need to obtain sufficient information to solve cases may be allowed to see the entire range of image while limiting the range of image that is allowed to be seen by general users who have no such need. In addition, in the case where the image capturing range changes due to the movement or zooming of the camera, the range of area to be masked can be changed. Therefore, it is possible to perform image capturing with attention to privacy while performing monitoring for the purpose of ensuring security.
Further, there is another example in which settings for privacy protection, which are made by a person who performs image capturing, can be checked from the outside and changed (see Patent Literature 2, for example). According to the conventional technique described in Patent Literature 2, settings for privacy protection on a camera located at a house A can be checked by a person living in a house B. Specifically, if the person living in the house B checks how an image of his or her own house is captured and has an objection to the settings for privacy protection, the person can request that areas to be masked should be changed. After receiving the request, a person living in the house A can determine whether or not to change the settings. Providing such a function enables a subject of image capturing to check settings for privacy protection, and therefore makes it possible to offer a more reliable privacy protection function.